Page 78 - Phonebox Magazine April 2011

Gill Toosey, Debbie Brock & Lillian Boutte
Gospel Star, Lillian Boutte, joins Olney Community Choir
Something very special happened on Thursday evening during Olney Community Choir rehearsal at Olney Infant school.
Milton Keynes Mayor Debbie Brock came along for a sing and also the international and world famous gospel star Lillian Boutte from New Orleans. Lillian was visiting friends in Easton Maudit and heard about the new choir. Lillian now lives in Germany.
Olney Community Choir - Update
There was me, thinking nobody would come to the first rehearsal. Now, I have a stalwart gathering every Thursday with 101 singers on our choir register! A bottle of champagne was promised by me if we reached 100 singers, so we had a raffle during a rehearsal to make it fair for everyone. Beccy Rawlings was the lucky lady winning the champers – I’m really delighted, as she’s come to every rehearsal so far and deserves it for her dedication!
Every Thursday during term time, we have a good sing, eat cake, drink teas and coffees, water, (and anything else someone may bring!), and also raise money for the Newton-Olney link during every rehearsal. All singers now pay £1.50 for the evening and children 50p. So far, we have raised over £650 towards the charity just during rehearsals. Anyone is welcome to come along and have a sing. No audition – honest! Rehearsals are at Olney Infant School – 6.30 – 8.00 – Thursday during term time.
The choir have been rehearsing items for our inaugural concert in July; a ‘Summer Gala Concert for Willen Hospice’. I’m certainly not letting singers sit back and have it easy – oh no! Thank you to singers who have come forward to help with piano accompanying; Hannah and Mike, it’s much appreciated. Alan Haughton can only come occasionally due to gig commitments. He’s been really good helping out, especially when I expect him to accompany a song with me saying, ‘I’ll sing it, you play it’, and no music!
A warm welcome goes to Richard Heyes, who came along on 10/03/11 to accompany us in a first rehearsal of ‘Habanera’ from Carmen. Richard has recently had major heart surgery and is now fighting fit and recovering from his operation last month. We wish him well in his recovery. He is a valuable accompanist for the choir and is welcome any time. Thank you Richard.
All money from ticket sales for the 9 July concert will be donated to Willen Hospice. Our programme will be varied with songs such as ‘Rhythm of Life’ (SATB), Joshua Fit the battle of Jericho’(SATB), ‘Higher’,(Gospel version), ‘What a Wonderful World’, ’We Will Rock You’(Rock), ‘Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen’, (my
Gill Toosey, musical director of the newly formed Olney Community Choir met Lillian on Saturday at a concert, and she really wanted to come along to one of their rehearsals.
Gill said: “Lillian is an amazing vocalist and sings with such passion and exudes joy and happiness to all who hear her. Lillian was awarded a special award for services to music from the city of New Orleans and she has also raised money for the city
song!), songs from ‘Wicked’ the musical, and many others. We are also, of course singing ‘Amazing Grace’. How amazing it will be to hear the most beautiful hymn ever written with a 100 strong choir in the church where it was composed? It’s got to be perfect, or we won’t do it. A huge ‘thank you‘, once more to Rev Claire Wood for allowing us to perform in Olney Parish Church.
Just a bit of extra info - I sent an e-mail to Aled Jones (you know the Welsh tenor once known for ‘Walking in the Air’ fame when he was a boy, although it was really someone else who had the hit record!) Anyway, I wrote to him, as I thought he’d be interested in hearing about the community choir, and how we are raising money for Willen Hospice (he also raises money for a children’s hospice in Wales) and other local charities. I had the pleasure of meeting him in Northampton a few years ago when I was singing with the Bach choir. After the show, I went backstage and visited Aled in his dressing room. He was so kind, and even signed a ‘Snowman’ book I had brought along. We chatted about his faith and his performance. He told me I was a ‘lovely lady’, in his charming Welsh accent, and he was sure he’d sing with me one day. How about July then Aled?
When I e-mailed him, I reminded him about our meeting, and how I had become a Christian in Olney Parish Church, two months after I had a tumour removed in summer 2008. A choir from the USA were performing in the church as part of a UK tour. It was a very moving experience. I remember sitting listening to the men sing and looking up at the beautiful stained glass window of Jesus looking down on me with open arms and I cried.
I asked Aled if he’d ever sung ‘Amazing Grace’ in the church where it was composed. Now there’s a carrot - watch this space! He did say to keep me informed about the choir, and he’d try to pop along. I’m sure he was just being polite, as he is extremely busy, but, you never know!
Our concert on 9 July is at Olney Parish Church (tickets will be on sale in May – details later), performing with Terry Lightfoot, Alan Haughton, and jazz band together with other local musicians. Clem Curtis has also agreed to sing in one or two items, if he’s back from one of his many cruises!
after Hurricane Katrina in a charity concert.”
“I had a long chat with her after a concert in Easton Maudit on Saturday, and she was thrilled to meet me, as she had already heard about the choir and was wanting to visit. I told her it would be good to have a link with New Orleans and Olney and a children's charity over there.”
True to her word Lillian turned up at the event, and showed her remarkable talent by singing with the choir and providing a solo. A musical experience to be remembered by all who attended and luckily the Phonebox were there to capture it on camera!
A glass of wine/cold drink will also be included in the ticket price - £10 adults, £3 children (5 - 15).
A Song For Willen Hospice
A song has also been composed for Willen Hospice by local song-writer, John Hawkes who lives in Newton Blossomville. John will be performing the song in the concert with the choir, together with lead vocalist, Gilly Giddings. It is intended to sell the CD of the song at the concert during the interval, the Willen Hospice website, and Willen Hospice shops.
Gilly’s father, Fred Mitchell, who owned the Milton Keynes Piano Workshop in Newport Pagnell, died in Willen Hospice last September. Fred is sadly missed by many. He was a wonderful man, a talented artist, and a real craftsman when it came to pianos. Fred was also my piano tuner who always did a fantastic job.
I had not seen his daughter Gilly, for over 10 years (I taught her A level music at Ousedale school), when John’s wife, Joni phoned me and told me they had found a singer for John’s song. Her hairdresser had given Joni a phone number of a young woman who wanted to start singing again. Joni did not know I knew Gilly. I couldn’t believe it! I immediately rang her up. We met up again at my home after all this time, and she brought her two beautiful children, Sonny aged 4 and Connie 2 and a half for a visit. We played on the grand piano I had bought from her Dad’s shop, the one he used to tune, and had a good sing. Now Gilly is enjoying singing again and regaining her confidence. As a young married Mum, it’s hard to find any ‘me time’. She told me her Dad had said to her, when he was dying in Willen, ‘Gilly, you must start singing again’.
I firmly believe Fred has had a hand in all of this and is so proud of her.
For me, to see Gilly singing her heart out in the recording studio a few weeks ago, with the Willen Hospice song, ‘I’ll Be There’, was wonderful to witness.
Enjoy the sunshine and the Easter break, God Bless,
Gill X